Catching a Rebound
by Macaulay10
Summary: Cooper doesn't want to be Heather's rebound. Well, Heather is about to navigate the dating waters and find herself a rebound… while also solving a murder. What will it take for Cooper to finally come around?
1. Chapter 1

**This story takes place one month after Size 14… though in this version, the very last bit where she meets her new, sexy math professor did not happen. In my version, that book ended with her and Cooper in the car, him saying he wouldn't be the rebound and her saying things were fine for now. **

**Catching a Rebound**

_Chapter 1_

"I need a man."

Magda looks up at me, one eyebrow arched suspiciously. And why not? All she said was 'good morning.' I'm sure my response wasn't quite what she had in mind.

"I know someone," she finally says, when her look clears.

"Great!" I say, leaning against her counter, downing my second coffee of the day. It's not even ten in the morning, and already my day is turning into a coffee binge fest. That's what happens when there are two murders at the school early in the morning. Yes, again. This time it was a remedial math professor – Tad something or other. And a student in (where else?) Fischer Hall. "Get my mind off this awful morning. Who's the guy?"

"Well," she says, popping a bite of her pop tart in her mouth. "He's great. Funny. Sweet. Smart. Incredibly handsome…"

"Sounds like a catch," I say, forcing a smile. I really don't need a man. Or want a man. But I still need a rebound. It's been one month and I have not found _anyone. _And I've put myself out there! I go to bars with Patty and Magda and totally spark up conversations with cute guys. They always seem a little turned off by all the murder I seem to be surrounded by. I allowed Patty to set me up on an online dating service. Although all I really do there is poke people. I even went to a party for single people (I know!) hosted by New York College's own Muffy Fowler. Everyone there was honestly just like Muffy, which is why that night ended with me curled up with Lucy at home watching a_ Golden Girls _marathon on TV Land.

"Oh, he is," Magda enthuses. "He's a detective, too. Very sexy occupation—"

"—Magda," I say, cutting her off. "If you're going to suggest I go out with Cooper, need I remind you that I asked and he said 'no.' Case closed."

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "He was scared. I know he likes you. Just last week, when he was here waiting for you, he got this look every time someone walked through the door that wasn't you. Like all hopeful and then serious. When you finally came over to him, he smiled in this way—"

"—because we're _friends._ I smiled at you when I spotted you just now. And, no offense, but I don't feel that way about you."

"Wells!"

I jump and turn. I know that voice. My good friend, Detective Canavan.

"Here we go," I say, swiveling around on my stool. "Time to play 'tell me everything you know about the victim from Fischer Hall.'"

"You were supposed to meet me in the victim's dorm room," he says, looking pretty peeved. "Twenty minutes ago."

"I needed sustenance."

I stand, preparing to walk away with Canavan but first turn to Magda. "When you find me a real, _interested _guy, you let me know, okay?"

"Oh, I will," she says coyly. Ugh. She won't. She is the biggest fan in the Heather and Cooper fan club. And I'm the only other member.

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Heather Wells is going to be the death of me. Honestly. I have never in my life met such a magnet for trouble. Why does she insist on staying employed in a place where people are constantly _dying_?

I walk down the familiar hallway of Fischer Hall, trying to push down the slight anxiety I've had since my pal Joe McKee from the NYPD called me a half hour ago.

I swear I spend more time in this dorm – I mean residence hall – than I do at my own home.

I walk into her office and spot her and Canavan talking – him taking notes undoubtedly about the latest Fischer Hall victim.

Heather stops mid-sentence when she sees me enter her office and looks surprised. "Hey, Coop," she says. "You didn't have to come all the way—"

"I heard what happened," I say, looking at Canavan. "Don't either of you keep your cell phones on?"

Heather takes her phone out of her pocket and glances at it. "Oh, it's on silent. Sorry."

Canavan glances at his phone, too. "Six missed calls." He looks up at me, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Worried about your girlfriend, were you?"

"McKee called to tell me what happened, but all he could tell me was that this time a student and someone who works at the school were killed. He didn't know anything more than that," I say, stuffing my hands in my pocket and looking away from both of them as I try to regain my composure. Canavan always calls Heather my girlfriend. And for some reason, I never correct him. "Heather here just happens to work here," I point out. I look up at her and force a smile. "And as we both know, she has a real tendency to find trouble when it's at this college."

"Oh, Coop, you care!" she says sweetly, with a small hint of friendly humor.

I smile at her and shake my head, relaxing a bit.

"Obviously Miss Wells here is just fine," Canavan points out.

"Well luckily Magda answers _her_ phone," I say. "So I knew you were okay." I sit down in one of the chairs opposite her desk. "So, did you know either of them?"

Heather shakes her head. "Not exactly. Melissa, the student, came to one of the hall meetings. I remember she asked twice about where we keep our stash of free condoms."

My eyebrows shoot up at that and I instantly flush, just a bit. Heather's an adult – one of my closest friends now, at that. But hearing her talk openly about anything to do with sex makes me a little… uncomfortable. After all, I've known her for nearly half my life. She was a teen when we met! I guess on some level I still associate her with some amount of innocence.

Canavan is peeking over Heather's computer with sudden interest in what is on the screen. Heather catches his expression and turns her attention to the computer. Her expression quickly goes from shocked to what looks like embarrassed… and if I'm not mistaken, a little excited.

"Uh, let me just close that box," she says quickly to Canavan. She clicks a few buttons, and I won't lie, my curiosity is completely piqued.

"What box?" I ask, my gaze never leaving her face.

"_Nothing," _she says, quickly, looking pleadingly at Canavan.

He doesn't take the hint, though… or at least he purposely ignores her imploring look.

"A dating site?" he asks, outright laughing. "What are you doing on a _dating site_?"

I smile at Heather now, too. "Yes, Heather… what _are _you doing on a dating site?"

A little nagging feeling is pulling at me in this very unsettling way. It's probably indigestion. I clear my throat and raise my eyebrows at Heather, giving her my best "well?" expression.

"None of your business," she finally says to both Canavan and me. "It was just a pop-up ad anyway. I wasn't on any site."

I can see a blush creeping up her cheeks and I laugh inwardly. She is a horrible liar; she always has been.

"Canavan, I think we covered everything, don't you?" she asks.

He glances down at his notepad and groans. "I guess so."

She grabs her cell phone and looks down at it and then back up at me. "Coop, thanks for coming by. As you can see, I am fine. And I won't get involved with this one. Don't you worry."

I stand up and take a few steps toward her. "Do I have your word on that?" I ask. Because honestly… once I realized she was okay on my way over here, I felt an entirely new wave of anxiety at the idea of what this death really means. Every time something like this happens, Heather ends up right smack in the middle of it, hanging – sometimes literally – on for dear life, because she has a complete inability to leave the police work to the, well, _police_.

I'm honestly not sure I can take it, if she does that again.

"Of course," she says coyly, winking at me, offering up one of her infectious smiles. "Now, I have to go. Official residence hall duty!"

She says goodbye to us both and runs out of her office, dialing her phone on her way out.

I take a few steps into the hall and see that she's stopped and put the phone up to her ear. She can't see me, but I know I am in hearing range of whatever phone call she's about to have.

I should walk away.

But… I'm rooted to the spot.

"Mags," she finally says, excitedly. "Guess what?... One of the guys I poked asked me out…._ On a date!... _Me!"

I make my way out of her building at that. I mean, really, you should not eavesdrop on your good friend and roommate. It's just not right.

But I can't help turning over what I just heard in my head. She's going on a date.

With someone that she _poked._

I have no idea what that means.

But I'm pretty sure I don't like it.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you SO much for the reviews so far! It really makes my day when I see one come in :)_

_I hope you enjoy the next part! – MAC _

**Chapter 2**

"It's just a little date, Coop," Patty says into the phone.

"I know. But Heather's a little… out of the dating loop," I explain.

"She's actually never been _in_ the dating loop," Patty says, correcting me. "She hasn't seen anyone since Jordan, and there was no one before him. And they didn't exactly meet in a normal way. Plus… she was a teen when they met. Times have changed. A _lot._"

I called Patty to feel more reassured about this, and as the conversation goes on, I actually feel worse than I did before. "Thanks for the recap, Patty. I know all of that. It's why I am asking you to just check in with her."

"And say what, exactly? No sex 'til the third date? Make sure he calls you, and not the other way around? Check for a suntan line on his ring finger?"

I roll my eyes. "That's not what I meant at all," I mutter, growing aggravated. "She's going on a date with someone she met _online._" I explain once again. "Just make sure she knows that she should under no circumstances meet this guy at his apartment or house. Nowhere private or secluded. She doesn't know him, but he asked her out on a website. He could be anyone. She trusts people a little too easily even though she's been burned by a few of the people she's trusted. More times than I – and you, I'm sure – like to think about. Plus, she attracts trouble like no one I have ever met."

"So she should be sure this date takes place at a public venue," Patty offers.

"Exactly," I say, brightening a little, as Patty finally begins to catch my drift. "And she should really know him well before they go anywhere that's not public."

"Cooper, why don't you just tell her this yourself?"

I sigh and rake a hand through my hair. "She never mentioned this date to me," I admit. "I'm sure she's told you, though. So, please, just do this for me, okay?"

"For you… okay," she finally says.

I hang up the phone and look at it. She said she'd call her and tell her everything and keep an eye on her for me.

So why do I still feel so… off?

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I walk into Zen Café, feeling a little nervous. I mean, first of all, I am not a vegan and am not exactly sure what I'll be ordering. And what could I possibly have in common with someone whose favorite restaurant is Zen Café?

Secondly… this is sort of a date! I have butterflies in my stomach at the very idea that I, Heather Wells, am going on a date! I'm getting me a rebound romance in, oh… five minutes ago. I'm late. How did that happen?

"Heather?"

I look up from my watch and see a really handsome man walking toward me, smiling. He has brown hair and brown eyes, tan skin… all in all, I'm impressed.

Maybe Cooper was right and a rebound is just what I need before settling down.

"Ryan?" I ask. I shake his hand. "Nice to meet you!"

Did that sound too eager? I think it sounded a little too eager. I mean, it's not _that _nice to meet him.

"You too," he says, eyeing me up and down. Is it me or does he not look as impressed with me as I am with him? He turns and heads me to our table.

As we make really bad small talk and order our food – and wine – I begin to think that maybe I was just being paranoid when I first met him. Maybe he was just checking me out. Maybe he was impressed. Not everyone shows their attraction for others the way I do – by outright ogling them and being giddy like a teenager.

"You look different than I remember you," he says after our food arrives, smiling. Though the smile seems forced.

I bury the sinking feeling that is entering my gut and try to smile back at him. "Interesting that you remember me," I say. "Have we met before?"

"I have sisters," he says, like that explains everything.

"Do I know them?" Where is he going with this?

"They sang that song of yours for like two years straight!" he says, sitting back, smiling as a look of nostalgia passes over his features. His look clears and he looks at me again, squarely. "I hated the song. No offense."

I put my hands up in a "none taken" kind of way because… well, I am positive I'll never see him again after this date. If you can even call it that.

"But I thought you were pretty hot."

I nod, blushing. This date is going from bad to worse fast.

"Do you still keep in touch with Jordan?" he asks, doing a 180 on our already-flailing conversation.

"Jordan—"

"Cartwright. Your ex," he explains like he needs to assist me in remembering who Jordan is. Jeez, I only spent ten years with the man.

"Kind of," I say. I look around. Is it too early to flag the waitress down and ask for the check?

"I always wanted to be in a boy band," he says, leaning forward. "I can sing. I can dance. I have a very clean-cut look," he says. He winks at me. "I'm not being arrogant, I swear. I'm actually very modest. But I know women like what they see when they look at me."

Okay, where is the waitress?

"It's just… I was wondering if you could introduce me to him."

I blink kind of erratically at the man sitting before me. I'm almost positive he asked me out to get to Jordan. I knew this date could go many ways, but I really hadn't anticipated _this._

"I think Jordan is already all set," I say. "I mean, Easy Street doesn't really have any openings for new members. And he's pretty busy these days with Tania and their life…"

What am I doing? I should be halfway home by now.

"So you can't introduce me to Jordan? You don't think I have star quality?" He looks genuinely shocked.

"I am confused, Ryan," I say after a moment. "You asked me out on a dating website. But… you seem much more interested in Jordan Cartwright than me!"

He stands up, looking angry now.

"Did you just call me _gay?_" he asks, his cheeks turning crimson and his eyes flashing.

"Not at all," I say, stifling a smile. "The gay men that I know dress way better than you do," I say, looking him up and down now, and realizing that he actually wore running pants – _running pants! – _on our date. And he had the gall to look _me _up and down. "And they are much better company, too."

"Well, don't worry," he says miserably. "You won't have the pleasure of my company for another moment."

And with that, he storms out, leaving me gaping at his retreating form.

When I do get the bill – because yes, he totally stuck me with it – my eyes nearly fall out of my head.

He ordered a $80 glass of wine and a $25 tofu salad?

I am never going out with someone from a dating site ever again.

And I am _never _stepping foot inside Zen Palate again either.

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"Actually, quite a few of my closest friends have met their true loves on internet dating sites," Patty says later on the phone after I've told her all about my date. "I wouldn't swear it off just because of one bad seed."

"Well, I'm going back to the sidelines for a long time," I state, as I enter my brownstone. "Getting out there, meeting people… _dating… _it's awful!"

"It can't be that bad."

"It's that bad. Forget this whole rebound nonsense. I'm going to sit tight until someone asks me out in person. Someone I know. In the meantime, I am going to just enjoy my independence."

"You go girl," Patty says, and I can hear she wants to laugh.

"Thanks," I say anyway.

An hour later, I'm curled up on the couch, under a blanket, cuddling with Lucy watching _I Dream of Jeannie _on TV Land when Cooper returns home from… well, from who knows where.

He looks surprised to see me.

"I thought you were out," he says, furrowing his brow together as he takes in me… Lucy… the chocolate wrappers on the coffee table… the half-eaten bowl of popcorn on my lap… and the TV Land marathon.

"Oh," I say, looking at him with some surprise. "Do you need me to leave?" I ask looking over his shoulder. "Do you have company? I can get lost…"

He smiles and walks deeper into the living room. "No," he simply says. "I just thought you had a date," he explains. "I thought you'd still be out." He shrugs.

"How did you know I had a date tonight?"

"Magda," is all he says and I nod. Of course. She most likely let him know all about it to see if he sounded jealous or whatever. Because she's such a total hopeless romantic.

She needs to learn that this is one romance that is not going to happen and stop torturing herself.

He sits down beside me. "So, how did it go?" he asks, though I can see in his expression that he must be able to tell it was a total dud of a date. I mean… I am home at 8pm watching TV!

"Let's see," I say, sitting up straighter and smiling at him. "Zen Palate was his choice for a good first date venue. He told me he hated my most popular song, wanted to meet Jordan and get my help launching his boy band career, and then he stuck me with the bill after he thought that I implied he was gay."

Cooper winces and shakes his head. "That's… that's pretty bad," he admits, laughing a little but looking like he's holding back from probably laughing hysterically.

I roll my eyes, smiling, and look at the TV.

"Major Nelson and Jeannie make it look so easy. For them, there's magic, romance… no one is using the other to meet that person's ex so they can become the next Backstreet Boy."

Cooper laughs. "Well… it took Major Nelson and Jeannie four years to finally get together," he points out.

"I know, but—"

I trail off and my eyes widen. "You are a fan of _I Dream of Jeannie_?"

"I was more of a Jeannie fan, yes, than a Samantha fan," he says. I almost never meet anyone who prefers _Jeannie_ to _Bewitched_!

"Me too!" I say.

He settles into the couch more and grabs a handful of popcorn.

"I mean, you start _Bewitched_ and Darren and Samantha are already married," he explains. "On I Dream of Jeannie, we watch them fall in love… make mistakes… almost miss their chance together… and we get to watch them _finally _get together."

"Yes! The courtship!" I say, giddily. "It's the best part of a good love story."

He nods. "I agree," he says quietly. "The best love stories take their time."

He looks at me in a way that completely turns my heart to mush. I know he doesn't mean anything by it but…

I smile inwardly and – I can't help it – hope flickers inside of me.


End file.
